Coke takes fizz out of Liverpool as Sevilla secure hat-trick

Liverpool 1 Sevilla 3

Jürgen Klopp has turned doubt into belief at Liverpool but turning them into Europa League champions proved beyond him. The final step beckoned in Basel but they faltered, falling to a comprehensive defeat as Sevilla delivered a ruthless second-half display to take their place in European history with a third consecutive triumph.

Liverpool players collapsed to the turf in despair on the final whistle and with just cause. Daniel Sturridge had delivered the lead with an exquisite first-half finish and at that stage Sevilla appeared on the cusp of unravelling and far removed from reigning champions who had never lost a Europa League tie under Unai Emery.

Ultimately it was Liverpool who disintegrated as Sevilla transformed the final after the restart. Kévin Gameiro and two from the captain Coke, his first goals in the competition, inflicted a fifth consecutive cup final defeat on Klopp.

Sevilla’s hat-trick of Europa League victories, their fifth triumph in the tournament in the last 10 years, made them the first club to win three consecutive Uefa titles since Bayern Munich dominated the European Cup between 1974 and 1976.

For Liverpool, it was the most deflating end to a season in which Klopp has restored belief and unity to Anfield, investing so much in cup competitions that they impacted on the Premier League campaign. But there will be no European football in his first full season as Liverpool manager.

Liverpool dominated the supporter count inside and outside St Jakob Park. The atmosphere in Basel city centre had been good-natured in the build-up to the final but there was serious congestion getting into the stadium and a fight between a small group of fans 30 minutes before kick-off. The skirmish occurred behind the goal where both Sevilla and Liverpool fans were congregated, the consequence of the Spanish club returning 1,600 tickets to Uefa and many being passed on to the Anfield club. Ludicrously, there was no segregation or police presence in that part of the ground until after the fight ended. Thankfully, there was no repeat and focus returned to where it should have been by kick-off.

Klopp, as expected, started with the same side that swept beyond Villarreal in the semi-final second leg and was given a pre-final runout against Chelsea at Anfield last week. The Liverpool manager could not have appeared more relaxed, beaming at the in-house television camera as he strolled from the coach to the dressing room, exchanging high-fives with fans behind the dugout and locking Emery in a warm embrace before the game. The same could not be said of his players initially.

Liverpool endured a nervous opening 10 minutes littered with needless fouls and heavy touches. Emre Can and Adam Lallana both received early lectures from the Swedish referee, Jonas Eriksson, who sensibly kept his cards in his pocket until Dejan Lovren was booked for a late lunge on Gameiro after half an hour. Sevilla started with the composure and confidence expected of a team experiencing its third consecutive Europa League final, yet even at their most assured they were vulnerable at the back. A willingness to grant Sturridge, Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho space would prove Sevilla's undoing.

Klopp's team drew the first save of the game before they had truly settled in possession, David Soria pushing away a 25-yard drive from Can. A deep cross from Nathaniel Clyne then found Sturridge unmarked at the back post. The striker steered a header beyond the Sevilla goalkeeper but just as the noise levels rose among the massed Liverpool ranks, Daniel Carriço appeared to hook clear in front of the goalline.

Carriço should have been penalised for a clear handball inside his area less than 60 seconds later, moving into the ball as Firmino flicked it inside and making contact with his upper arm. Eriksson and his assistants were in close proximity but unmoved. Liverpool were incensed. They went close again when Lallana released Sturridge behind the Sevilla defence but Soria sprinted off his line instantly to smother the shot.

Emery's team did not trouble Simon Mignolet once in the Liverpool goal before half-time. The closest Sevilla came was an overhead kick from Gameiro that bounced wide.

Liverpool's anxious opening was a distant memory by the time Sturridge swept them into a merited lead with a magnificent finish. Firmino and Coutinho were given far too much space as they switched play from right to left, where Liverpool's most potent striker was also unmarked when he received Coutinho's pass on the corner of the area. His closest defenders, Mariano Ferreira and Adil Rami, backed off. A fatal error, and Sturridge punished them by curling the ball just inside the far post with the outside of his left foot. It was a goal worthy of a final and spread panic throughout the Sevilla defence for the remainder of the half.

Lovren, and the Liverpool bench, thought he had doubled the advantage with a towering header from James Milner's corner but Sturridge was in an offside position as he attempted to apply the final touch in front of the goalkeeper. Klopp chastised John Achterberg, Liverpool's goalkeeping coach, for leading the on-pitch celebrations while the assistant referee had his flag raised.

Having taken the lead with a touch of brilliance, Liverpool gave it away carelessly 20 seconds after the restart. Alberto Moreno, the former Sevilla left back and boyhood Sevilla fan, made a hash of clearing a crossfield ball and headed straight to Ferreria. The full back burst through Moreno and Coutinho into the area and crossed low for Gameiro to convert his eighth goal of the campaign from close in.

Sevilla’s leading goalscorer almost made it two when Éver Banega cut open the Liverpool defence with a precise pass to Gameiro who looked certain to score until Kolo Touré intervened with a vital challenge. The France international should have scored when a long throw into the Liverpool area fell to the unmarked striker, but Gameiro could only scuff his volley straight at Mignolet who diverted over.

The flow of the game had been transformed. Sevilla were now the dominant, dangerous force and they went in front when Vitolo dissected Liverpool’s midfield with a series of passes followed by a twist inside Lovren. As the ball broke loose on the edge of the area Coke arrived first and swept an excellent finish around Mignolet into the bottom corner.

Liverpool were struggling to stem Sevilla’s threat and their third arrived fortuitously and controversially via Coke once again. Two Liverpool players deflected the ball into the path of the Sevilla captain, who appeared offside as he controlled before beating Mignolet with a close-range finish. After a lengthy wait while Klopp, Emery and their players argued and harangued the assistant referee, Eriksson eventually awarded the goal.

(Guardian service)